The accessibility experiences of students with disabilities
These notes are part of a series for the book.
Outline
- Introduction
- Disabled students’ use of technologies
- Patterns of technology access and use
- Experiences of specific technologies
- Virtual learning environments
- Social media
- Mobile devices
- Technology abandonment and non-use
- Outcomes of technology use
- Factors that influence technology use
- Time
- Skills, confidence, and strategies
- Training
- Disclosure discomfort
- Disabled students’ perceptions of technology
- Perceived benefits of technology use
- Satisfaction with provision of technologies and related support
- Large scale surveys
- Small scale surveys
- What have these studies of student technology use, experience, and evaluation contributed to knowledge?
- Liberating student voice
- Conclusion
Notes
This chapter summarizes the findings of previous research.
Learning management systems (LMSs): Students with disabilities access the course content and forums in their school’s LMS more frequently than students without disabilities.One study found that students like access to course content like notes, which help during lectures. Another found that getting notes and content from the LMS meant they did not have to disclose their disability to their teachers and fellow students. Feedback on using forums is mixed.
Synchronous virtual classrooms: In one study, some students with dyslexia reported that they were embarrassed when using virtual classrooms because they were not able to read and type responses as fast as others in the classroom. In another study, students reported that they felt that they didn’t have enough time to record class decisions while also participating during the sessions.
Voice recognition software (VRS): An older study (2005) found that most students didn’t like using VRS because it didn’t work well or because they didn’t have the needed computer access at home.
Most commonly used tools: Spelling and grammar checkers, word prediction software, mind-mapping software, and adapted keyboards
Technology problems: When asked to identify problems with technology, many students reported issues that might be reported by anyone: empty pages, disorganization, software crashes, popup windows, and security issues.
Training: There were several statements about training scattered throughout the chapter, which Seale gleaned from multiple studies. I put them together here because I think they are related factors:
- Students won’t use software if it is too time-consuming to use or to learn.
- Students with disabilities who were not confident in their computer or software skills felt better about using the technology after seeing other people do so.
- An older study from 1998 reported that the ‘majority of the participants rated their academic advisors’ knowledge of technology as being inadequate to meet their needs’ (Seale, 2014, p. 143). The advisors were to evaluate technology needs, provide training, and help develop strategies.
- A large 2017 survey shares this finding; see the quotes about learning management systems from the Student Digital Experience Tracker.
- Surveys indicated that students with disabilities wanted better and more-available training, but specifics were not detailed.
- A surprisingly high number of students reject training. Some mistakenly believed that it would only provide basic computer and software skills, which they felt they already had, instead of training specific to assistive technologies and techniques.
- The Student Digital Experience Tracker study found similar perceptions about digital skills across all student populations.
Disclosure: Most students don’t disclose a disability.
Important quote: ‘All the studies reported in this chapter have asked the students to answer questions that the researchers have deemed relevant or important. None of them have asked disabled students to set the agenda and decide what is important to research and explore in more detail. Therefore we really have to ask ourselves if we are restricting ourselves in terms of hearing what disabled students themselves want to say’ (Seale, 2014, p. 152). Something to consider: How does Seale know that none of the researchers have disabilities themselves?
- Seale ends with an argument for the importance of case studies. I’ve summarized case studies in this post: Case studies about disabilities, accessibility, and learning